Feeler mechanism for looms



I. SNOW.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

I SNOW.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.7.1920.

Patented Aug. 9, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' iWWWmu un -tr ISAAC snow, orrawnnncn, mnssncnusn'rrs, nssienon T0 DRAPER CORPORATION,

or nornnnnn, MASSACHUSETTS, a oonronnrrolv 0F MAINE. I

FEELEB MECHANISM non ri'ooivrs.

1 Application filed, April 7,

To all whom it and concern:

Be it known that I, IsAAo Snow, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Lawrence, county of Essex, and State of Massa chusetts,"have invented an Improvement in l eeler Mechanisms for Looms, of which the following des criptiom-in connection with the v accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representlng like parts. 1 V

The present invention relates to feeler v meohanis1ns for looms whereby the filling in larly to feeler mechanismsof the first-menv tioned type, that is, where the frontward pressure uponthe feeler effects side swipe or lateral movement thereof when the filling is substantially exhausted. p

The ieeler mechanism must be sensitive either to the presence or substantial absence of filling in the shuttle, and must be responsive to either condition, either to prevent or cause filling replenishment. Should the 'feeler mechanism call a change prior to the time when the filling .in the shuttle has reached a substantial degree of exhaustion, the amount of waste incidentto the change of the filling would be large and objectionable. On theother hand, should the ieeler mechanism fail to call a change while there still remained sufficient filling in the shuttle to lay a full length of filling in the shed, defective cloth is liable to be produced. One of the objects of the present invention, therefore, is to provide side swipe feeler mechanism wherein the feeler is given its side swipe or lateral movement longitudinally of the shuttle by ,frontward pressure when the filling is substantially exhausted,

and wherein, also, the parts are simplein vconstruction and sensitive'both to the pros 192o,"-seria 1 No. 372,008.

ence and substantial absence of filling in the v shuttle.

The present feeler mechanism embodies a Specification ofLettersPatenta" Patgntd feeler which is yieldingly held rearwardly in its feeling position but is mounted to have a lateral movementimparted thereto upon the samebeing moved forward toward the front of the loom. The feeler is constructedtd bend intermediate its ends and'toautomaticallyr resume its straightened position when tne same is relieved from thebending force.

This construction permits the engagement of the rear end of the feel'er with thefilling to hold this end from being moved laterally upon at detecting beat: until substantia-lexhaustion of filling occurs, and causes this rear end to be'moved laterallywhen'the supply of filling in the shuttle is -no"longer sufiiclent to hold the same against theflat-j eral movement imparted to it by the force tending to straighten theifeeler. As a result of th s construction a satisfactory side swipe feeler consisting of very few parts is pro-,

vided. v V The features of the present invention and the novel combination of parts Will be best understood from the following description I and accompanying drawings of one good,

practical form of the invention.

In the draw ngs:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the iteeler side of the loom showing the feeler, mechanism applied thereto, many of vthe loom parts being omitted;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan working supply of filling is present on a detecting beat, part-of the feeler mechanism being shown in section; and

Fig. 3 a v'iew'similar'tothat of Fig. 2 showing the action of the feeler mechanism when the filling is substantially exhausted.

The general loom construction and the replenishing mechanism whereby filling'is replenished under call of the feeler mechanism, are not shown and described as they may be of usual and'well known const-r-uo tion, The loom frame l'has secured thereto the brackets 2, one ateach side of the loom s View showing the action of the feeler mechanism when a frame, in which is mounted the transverse or rocl: shaft 3 ofusual construction and from which rises the arm 4, to the upper i end portion of which at 5 is pivoted the latch 6. The forked rear end portion 7 of the latch 6 is adapted to be engaged at times by an operating member 8 which may be either the cam follower or a part connected thereto.

The lay 9 is provided with the usual shuttle box 10 the front wall 11 of which is slotted or rut away, as indicated at 12, to register with an opening 13 in the side of the shuttle, when the shuttle is boxed at the detecting side of the loom. The shuttle is contains the usual filling carrier 15. frame 1 has extending therefrom the shipper stand 16 to a slotted arm 1'? of which is adjust-ably secured the feeler carrier 13 by means ofthe bolts 19 and upon the upper face of this carrier 18 the feeler Stand 20 is preferably adj ustably mounted by means of bolt or bolts 21. The adjustable bolts 19 and 21 enable the feeler to be adjusted so that the same will properly enter the shuttle upon a detecting beat.

Tn the embodiment of the invention illus trated, the feeler is d signated in its entirety by the numeral 22, and this feeler is shown as consisting of a pair of sections 23 and 2e preferably secured together by a pivot pin The section 2 L extending toward the front of the loom is preferably rounded throughout a portion of its length and the forward end of the same projects through an aperture formed in the upwardly directed end 26 of the forwardly extending finger 26, and this finger may, if desired, be formed integral with the feeler stand 20. The rearwardly extending section 23 of the feeler, in thecmbodiment shown, consists of a pair of longitudinally extending blades having a filling engaging strip 2, secured therebetween by means of rivets or the like 28. This strip 2? serves to retain the blades in spaced relation to each other so that an end of the section 2%: may be pivotally mounted between these blades by the pivot pin above mentioned; ln order that the sections 23 and 2a the fceler 22 will be normally held in their extended position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, rather than in the bent position, shown in Fig. 2, a spring 29 is provided, an intermediate portion of which may be looped about a pin 30 carried by the section 23 and one end of this spring reacts against a pin 31, while the opposite end 32 of this spring re-acts against the section 24. In order to limit the extent to which one pivoted section may be swung by the spring 29 upon the other section, in the embodiment illustrated, the section 2% is shown as provided with a notch 33 adapted to engage a lug or stop 34: carried by the section 23. From the construction just described it will be seen that the pivoted feeler 22 normally has its sections extending in a straight line with each other and that the spring 29 yieldingly resists a force tending to bend the feeler.

The loom In order to provide means for normally holding the feeler 22 in its rearward position, as shown in Fig. 1, a coil spring 35 may be provided, one end of which abuts against a shoulder on the section 24, while the opposite end reacts against the inner face of the upwardly extending end 26 and the movement of the feeler in a rearward direction may be conveniently limited by a pin 36 on tending through the forward end of the feeler. A lateral movement is imparted to the feeler each time the sameis moved toward the front of the loom, by means of a link 37 one end of which is pivotally secured to the feeler stand by a screw or the like 38, and the opposite end of this link preferably extends in between the spaced blades of the feeler section 23 and is pivotally secured thereto by a pivot pin 39, thearrangement being such that as the feeler is forced toward the front of the loom it is, at the same time, deflected laterally by the link 37. The rearwardly projecting end of the feeler is provideo with filling engaging teeth 40 and as long as thereis a substantial amount of filling upon the bobbin the engagement of these teeth with the filling will prevent the rear end of the feeler 22 from being swung laterally, that is, longitudinally of the shuttle,

notwithstanding the fact that a lateral movement is imparted to an intermediate portion of the feeler upon each detecting beat. The filling is able to hold the rear end of the feeler against lateralmovement due to the fact that the feeler' will bend intermediate its ends against the tension of the spring 29, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, but when there is no longer a sufficient amount of filling present upon the bobbin to hold the rear end of the feeler against the force of the spring 29 tending to move the sections of the feeler to their extended position, this end of the feeler will move laterally to the position shown in Fig. 3. To provide means for preventing the feeler 22 from being lifted up off its feeler stand an appreciable amount, there is provided the lug or finger all which may be formed integral with the feeler stand and the outer end of which extends upwardly and over a portion of the feeler, as clearly shown in Fig. l. I

From the above description it will be apparent that as long as there is a substantial amount of filling present within the shuttle the rear end of the feeler will be pre vented from moving laterally, but when substantial exhaustion occurs, this rear end will move laterally upon a detecting beat to the position shown in Fig. 3. In order to provide means for effecting replenishment of filling by the lateral movement of the rear end of the feeler, in the embodiment shown, a feeler operated lever 42 is provided an intermediate portion of which is prefer-,

ably pivotally mounted upon a portion 43 near/nos,

of the ife eler standby meansof a screw or the like 44 Oneend of this lever is provided with an anti-friction roller is positioned adjacent the position occupied by the rear end of the feeler when the same is held by the filling against lateral movement. The

other end of this lever is preferably operatively connected by a connecting rod 46 to a latch supporting lever 47 and this last mentioned lever is preferably pivotally mounted upon a stand 48 by means of a pivot pin 49. The portion of the lever 47 to which the rod 46 is connected preferably extends upwardly in the form of an arm,as at 50, and this lever is provided with a second arm 51 which extends between'the prongs of the forked lever 7 above mentioned. A third arm of this leverj preferably abuts against the stop 52 carried upon the bracket L8. The operation of the parts just described is such that whenever the. feeler engaging end of the rocking lever 42 is forced'to the right with respect to Fig. 1, by a lateral movement of the rear end of the feeler, this rocking of the leverlZ, through the connecting rod at will lift the latch 6 into the path of movement of the operating member, 8 and will thereby effect replenishment of filling in a well known manner. The pivoted'lever 42 is normally held in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by the force of gravity due to the fact that one end of the latch 6 rests'uponthe laterallv i ro'ectin arm 51 of the rockin t C O lever 41'.

Claims i 1. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler jointed intermediate of its ends and supported to be engaged by a surface in the shuttle and pushed frontwardly thereby on a detecting beat, means for yieldingly maintaining the sections of the jointed feeler extended substantially in alinement, teeth upon the feeler to engage the filling and hold the feeler from moving longitudinallyof the shuttle, means for deflectin the intermediate 301'l7l011 of the feeler laterally as the feeler is pushed frontvvardly by a surface in the shuttle when a substantial amount ofifilling is present and for moving the rear end of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttlewhen filling is substantially exhausted, and means operable upon movement of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle to effect replenishment of filling.

2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler jointed intermeoiate of its ends and supported to be engaged by a surface in the shuttle and pushed frontwar'dly thereby on detectingbeat, means for deflecting an intermediate portion of the feeler laterallywhen a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle as the feeler is pushed frontwardly on a detecting beat,

I and for. imp'artingsaid deflecting movement end of the feeler from moving longitudinally 1 of the shuttle until substantial exhaustion of filling occurs, and means operable by the movement of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle to effect replenishment of filling.

3. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler mounted for movement longitudinally of the shuttle and to be pushed frontwardly by a surface in the shuttle on a detecting beat, said feeler being jointed intermediate of its ends to permit it tobend laterally, means for yieldingly resisting a force tending to bend the feeler, means for deflecting the feeler laterally as it is pushed frontwardly on a detecting beat, teeth to engage the filling and hold the rear end'ofthe feeler from moving longitudinally of the shuttle until substantial exhaustion of filling occurs, and means operable by the movement of the rear end of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle to effect replenishment of filling.

4. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination, of a feeler mounted to be engaged by a surface in the shuttle and pushed frontwardly thereby on a detecting beat, and

and to yieldingly resist a laterally bending force, means for deflecting the intermediate portion of the feeler laterally as the feeler is pushed frontwardly on a detecting beat, filling engaging teeth for holding the rear end of the feeler from moving longitudinally of the shuttle on a detecting beat until substantial exhaustion of filling occurs, and means for effecting replenishment of filling upon movement of the rear end of the feeier longitudinally of the shuttle.

5. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a laterally bendable feeler mounted to be engaged by a surface in the shuttle'and pushed frontwardly thereby on detecting beat, means for yieldingly resisting a force tending to bend the feeler, a pivoted link for deflecting an intermediate por-' tion of the feeler laterally as the feeler is pushed frontwardly on detecting beat, teeth to engage the filling and hold the rear end of the feeler from moving longitudinally of the shuttle on a detecting beat until filling is substantially exhausted, and means operable by movement of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle to effect replenishment of filling.

6. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination ofv a feeler mounted for movement longitudinally of the shuttle and to be pushed frontwardly on a detecting beat by a surface carried by the lay, means for moving an intermediate portion of the feeler laterally as. the feeler is pushed frontwardly on a detecting beat, teeth upon the rear end of the feeler engageable with the filling to hold said rear end from moving longitudinally of the shuttle until substantial exhaustion of filling occurs, said feeler constructed to bend laterally on a detecting beat when its rear end is held by the filling, and spring means tending to resist the bending of the feeler.

7. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a leeler stand, a feeler mounted thereupon for movement longitudinally of the shuttle and to be pushed frontwardly on a detecting beat by asurface carried by the lay, a link pivotally connected to the stand and feeler, respectively, for moving a portion of the feeler laterally on each. detecting beat as the feeler is pushed frontwardly, teeth upon the feeler engage able with the filling to hold the rear end of the feeler rem moving longitudinally of the sliiuttle until substantial exhaustion 'of filling occurs, said feeler constructed to bend laterally upon a detecting beat when its rear end is held by filling, yielding means for restoring the feeler to its straightened position, and m ans operable by movement of the rear end of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle to effect replenishment of filling.

8. in a: feeler mechanism for looms, the ombination of a feeler bendable intermediate ts ends and mounted for movement longituiinally of the shuttle and to be pushed .L *ontwardly on a detecting beat by a surface carried by the lay, means for yieldingly resisting a force acting to bend the feeler, means for moving an intermediate portion of the feeler laterally on each detecting beat as the feeler is pushed frontwardly, filling engaging teeth for preventing the rear end of the feeler from being moved longitudinally of the shuttle when the in termediate portion thereof is moved laterally until filling is substantially exhausted, and means operable by the movement of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle to efiect replenishment of filling including an arm having end adjacent the rear end of the feeler to be operated thereby.

9. in feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler which is jointed between its ends to permit the feeler to bend laterally, means acting upon the feeler as it is moved frontwardly on a detecting beat to bend the feeler when the rear end of the feeler is held from movement longitudinally of the shuttle by working supply of filling on a detecting beat and acting tomove the rear end of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle without bending it when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat.

10, in a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler jointed between its ends and mounted on the frame of the loom to enter the shuttle as the lay beats up and feels for the filling, ielding means normally acting to maintain the front and rear portions of the feeler in alinement, and means tending to break the joint of the feeler when a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle on a detecting beat and to move the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle without breaking the joint when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat.

11. in a feeler mechanism for looms, a feeler mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom and formed of jointed sections only one of which is adapted to engage a surface carried by the lay, means normally acting to hold the sections in eX- tended relation, and means acting to break the joint of the feeler as it is pushed frontwardly by-the filling on a detecting beat and while its end is held by the filling from moving longitudinally of the shuttle.

12. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand, a jointed feeler mounted on the stand for movement toward and from the front of the loom, a guide through which the front end portion the feeler extends, and means acting upon the feeler between the guide and rear end of the feeler to break the joint of the feeler as it is moved frontwardly when the rear end of the feeler is held from movement limgitudinally of the shuttle by the filling on a detecting beat.

13. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand, a jointed feeler mounted on the stand for movement toward and from the front of the loom, a guide through which the front end portion of the feeler extends, a spring normally actto r. aintain the front and rear portions of the feeler in alinement, and means acting upon the feeler between the guide and rear end of the feeler to break the joint of the feeler as it is moved frontwardly when the rear end of the feeler is held from movement longitudinally of the shuttle by the filling on a detecting beat.

let. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler having a toothed filling engaging end and a joint between the filling engaging and front end of the feeler, means including a spring normally acting upon the joint to maintain the oint closed, and means acting to break the joint of the feeler as the lay moves frontwardly when a working supply of filling is in the shuttle on a detecting beat and the rear end is held by the filling from movement longitudinally of th shuttle.

in testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ISAAC SNOW. 

